Tallarn, sorry to hear about your marital issues. Having recently gone through something similar (or I should say am still going through (we're working on things)) I can feel your pain - literally. Hope things work out.

"I may be unconscious, but at least I still look good!" - - Me (at the Halfling Musketeers game GenCon '06)

On one hand, taking away their weapons is a dead giveaway that they will need them. On the other hand, by the time conflict starts the players will already have opened the rulebooks and found the parts that deal with bare-handed combat, performing disarm moves, and using improvised weapons. Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu. - Shamus Young DM of the Rings

Like it maybe influenced by real life events and various existing conspiracy theories that have been suggested by the "lunatic fringe". That's not a bad thing since it at least gives the setting a contemporary feel opposed to the "trite points of light bs of WoTC is producing for 4e*..."

*I mean seriously given Human nature I don't thing the PCs would be the onlyones trying to make the world a better/worse place to live. Hell if magic items exist it's expected for some lucky schmuck to find one and think they are special.

*I mean seriously given Human nature I don't thing the PCs would be the onlyones trying to make the world a better/worse place to live. Hell if magic items exist it's expected for some lucky schmuck to find one and think they are special.

Magic is fairly commonplace. Even commoners that take a couple of feats are able to weave cantrips. My world has a bit of an arcane revolution going on, with some magic items replicating Earth technology.

As per magic items, their reliance is lessened due to the abilities that are based on race, class or which incarnum abilities are chosen.

"I may be unconscious, but at least I still look good!" - - Me (at the Halfling Musketeers game GenCon '06)

On one hand, taking away their weapons is a dead giveaway that they will need them. On the other hand, by the time conflict starts the players will already have opened the rulebooks and found the parts that deal with bare-handed combat, performing disarm moves, and using improvised weapons. Players may blunder through dialog with shocking ineptitude, forget the name of the country they are in, or get confused about which side they are on, but once it comes time to roll for initiative they all turn into Sun Tzu. - Shamus Young DM of the Rings